JESTA Summer School 2011


In August this year. eight JESTA readers went to Dean Close School in Chelthenham for the first ever JESTA Summer school. Running alongside the adult ESTA summer school, the JESTA students took part in masterclasses as soloists and as chamber groups, went along to the evening concerts given by world-famous musicians, and attended some of the adult classes as well.

The students studied the Mendelssohn Octet, Dvorak American Quartet and Shostakovich Quartet no.7, with coaching from many of the coaches on the adult course, including the Cavaleri Quartet, Pat Legg and Simon Cartledge. Both of the cellists took part in the masterclass with Raphael Wallfisch, and all of the students performed in the end of course showcase.

“I'm a violinist, but was encouraged to go on the JESTA course by my teacher to develop my Viola playing skills and gain more experience playing chamber music. The Summer course was a four-day intensive programme of playing chamber music. I was involved in practising and performing Dvorak's American quartet and the Mendelssohn octet. The learning experience was enhanced with Kodaly classes, master classes, general technique and posture classes. During the course there were opportunities to watch professional musicians inconcert, specifically the Cavaleri Quartet, David Le Page and Raphael Wallfisch. These concerts were amazing and gave me motivation to strive for my goals. It was an experience I will never forget and recommend it to any future student, because as well as gaining lots of knowledge and experience, I made life-long friends in the process.”


So if you're looking for something unique and extraordinary for the summer holidays 2012, make sure you ask your teacher about the JESTA summer school.

You'll get all of this:

  • Chamber music you may not normally get to play
  • The opportunity to live and work with great performers and teachers for a week
  • Solo repertoire coaching
  • Fantastic food!
  • Brilliant social staff!

    • “It was simply a wonderful course and I hope it will happen again in the future”
    “I had a fantastic time at Cheltenham – thank you to all of the musicians, but also the social staff, who looked after us so brilliantly. It really wouldn't have been the same without them!”